7-Run Third Powers Tri-City Past Trois-Riviéres
The Tri-City ValleyCats (3-8) broke out in a big way on May 20 with a 14-11 win over Trois-Riviéres (4-7) on the ValleyCats first Education Day of the season, presented by Transfinder, in front of a crowd of 3,529.
A seven-run rally in the bottom of the third powered the ValleyCats.
After Parker Coddou (2-for-5, 2 RBI, R, SB) doubled and stole third, Josh Leslie was hit by a pitch, and then Ian Walters had one of the wildest doubles The Joe has seen in a long time. His comebacker caromed off the foot of Aigles pitcher Esteban Rodriguez, cleared the outstretched glove of first baseman Emmanuel Tapia, and went down the rightfield line as Coddou scored and Leslie reached third. Kai Moody (2-for-3, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 2 SB) drove in both Leslie and Walters with a follow-up single.
Moody scored on an error that put Brayden Jobert aboard, and Ranko Stevanovic walked before things culminated with a three-run homer from Aaron Whitely - his first home run of the season for Tri-City. The Niskayuna-native ended up driving in four on the day and scoring twice himself. Ultimately, 11 ValleyCats went to the plate during the third.
The blast was one of three Tri-City homers on the day as Cooper Hext had his first of the season, a two-run shot, in the bottom of the second, and Stevanovic had his first of 2026, a solo, in the bottom of the fifth.
Tri-City put the game away with four more runs in the bottom of the seventh as Whitley walked with the bases loaded, Trois-Rivieres pitcher Blake MacMillan balked in a run, and a Coddou double scored Hext and Whitley.
Noah Estrella, Ben Smith, Nate Nabholz (1-1), and Arlo Marynczak combined to strike out 10 Aigles on the afternoon.
John Montes stayed hot for the Aigles, going 3-for-4 with four RBI in the loss. Loidel Chapelli was 2-for-4 with a homer, two runs, and two RBI. Esteban Rodriguez allowed five earned runs on six hits and three walks in the start for the visitors as Luis Rodriguez took the loss in the 3:15 game.
The teams meet again tomorrow morning for the ValleyCats' second Education Day of 2026 presented by Transfinder with first pitch scheduled for 10 a.m.